Perfect Brightness Of Hope

Dear family,

What a great week!  So much to tell!

Yes mom I did get the right letter this week...it was great.  I also don't care who you send the spiritual thought to...just not the prophet, he'd prolly have me taken out of the mission.  It's prolly all false doctrine, but whatever.  haha!  I did read Leda’s email!  It was great!  I love that girl.  What a gem!  I prolly won't have time to write her.  So many letters, so little time.  I did find out how Brother Outzen died.  I guess a tire exploded on him at work and he died instantly.  So sad, oh so sad!  Harrison at homecoming?  No way!  And he invited someone to church!  Yes!  Go boy!  Who?  I love being a missionary!

So there's some good stories from this week!

And they deny the power of God, the holy one of Israel 2 Nephi 28:5

For some reason Frank was on the potentials list.  So we went over there.  Funniest atheist I have ever met!  Born in Italy, saved by the grace of God countless times, and he doesn't know why and doesn't care to find out.  I was bearing testimony to him and he said, "You can't know that!  That's just a belief."  I laughed and told him that he can't tell me what I know and don't know.  It was a really funny conversation, not arguing at all.  I loved it.  Hard to explain.  Then he said what the most important thing in this life is.  I said, "I really want to align my will with Gods." 

"That's not important!  Health!  Health is the most important thing!"

"No it's not!"  Sister Wallace said that too.

I told the Story of Harrison and his knee and how for 2 stinking years a teenage boy couldn't do what other teenage boys do and he was HAPPY.  He didn't have anything to say to that.  It was a really great conversation.  Nothing really was done, but it was just great!

Ask and ye shall receive 3 Nephi 14:7

We went to visit Ronald on Monday morning.  He wanted a Book Of Mormon.  Before getting out of the car I said, "Heavenly Father, please let us place a Book of Mormon and get a return appt.  Well he wasn't home.  It was a duplex and I decided to knock on the back neighbors door to see if she knew where they were and to contact her.  She accepted the Book Of Mormon and we had a return appts with her!  Cool huh?  The appt feel through, but God still answered that plea.

He that seeketh, findeth 3 Nephi 14:8

B has so much truth!  We had an appt with him at M's (a ysa) on Monday.  He really wants to know what happens after this life, although he has a pretty good understanding of it.  Here it is.

After we die our spirits go somewhere.  A good place, or a bad place.  There is not just a heaven or hell.  There is an in between place because there are spirits on this earth, trapped on this earth.  We will receive a new body one day.

Look at how much truth there is?  So much!  I asked him how he knew this.  "God told me." 

"How?"

"Well he didn't appear.  It was like a voice, or a feeling...”

"What did it feel like?"

"All warm all over my whole body."

um...that's called the Holy Ghost people!

He's reading the Book Of Mormon right now and praying to know if it's true.  Awesome awesome!

He granteth unto men according to their desire Alma 29:3

Tracted into this lady who knows about the temple.  Mentioned stuff that I won't.  Knows about everything and the "ceremonies" she called it.  She said of it, "It's not for me, I just can't do it, I can't go through all that stuff."  She said that when she gets to heaven she won't be with her husband.  They will have a brother sister relationship.  It hit me when we were talking.  That is exactly what she will have.  And do you know what?  She even told us that she doesn't want to participate in any of the saving ordinances, so she doesn't have to.  But she won't obtain the highest glory.  I told her that and I said, "But I do want to be with my husband forever, so I will be able to be with him."  It was an eye opening experience.  People are happy with Terrestrial Glory, and there is nothing we can do about it.  Sad, so sad.  But what can you do?  Darn agency!

Taught from on High

Amazing zone conference yesterday!  So cool!  Elder Ellis of the seventy came!  Here are some things that I learned.

We have to have faith to see miracles.  It's true, there are miracles happening everyday around us, but are those the miracles when we're just crying out for help and someone comes and saves us, or are they the miracles that we ask the Lord for?  Are they the braking of the bands kind of miracles?  I loved that teaching from Elder Ellis.

I can ask God for great things and He will give them to me according to my faith.

The Lord will comfort us and give the peaceable things of His kingdom.

Let the Holy Spirit Guide

We had an awesome lesson with C.  We didn't know what we’re supposed to teach him.  We had heard some things from the bishop about him that troubled us a little bit, and we weren't sure that he had gained a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  We had an idea of what we might teach him, but no solid lesson plan. We prayed that the Lord would direct us to the things that we were supposed to say.

After asking a few questions we realized that he had not had a witness from the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon was the word of God.  So we started to teach him about the Holy Ghost and how it testifies truth to us and what it might feel like, etc.  Well then C went off on this what seemed to be tangent about a not-to-pleasant experience he had earlier that day.  We were then able to teach and testify to him about the comforting role of the Holy Ghost.  The member who was with us then taught him about how the Holy Ghost testifies of Christ.  Before we knew it we had just taught a beautiful lesson on the basic roles of the Holy Ghost.  Wow!  I was amazed!  The Holy Ghost wrote that lesson plan!  And C was even taking notes :)

The Grain of the Mustard seed

J, our Recent Convert, just had her baby last Sunday.  The RS has been amazing with helping.  Giving her meals and encouragement.  Her Visiting Teachers are amazing too.  They are the ones keeping us updated on her instead of the other way around.  We went to visit with her last night and she said that she was going to come to church.  She's amazing!  Not many life-long members would come to church 2 weeks after their baby was born.  J is elect!  She's got so much potential!  And she has a great desire to raise her children in this gospel.

Don's amazingness!

We haven't had any contact with J for over a week.  They moved and then didn't show up for church.  But Don H met with them last night and talked with them about coming to church (which they plan on doing) and about baptism and what not.  If everyone, missionary and member alike, had the fire that he has then the baptisms would triple. Out of the 4 four referrals he's given us, two of them have been golden.  Simply amazing!

Open your mouths and they shall be filled D&C 33:8

We walked into L's home the other day and knew something was up (she's a LA).  Her "adopted" daughter and her fiance were fighting and she was lecturing them.  After she threatened to kill them she turned to us and wanted us to help her.  Um...I've never been married!  But I opened my mouth.

"Well, I’ve never been married, and all my relationships have lasted less then 2 months, but" and here is where the Spirit talked, "I have been with a comp for the past year, and every week we have what's called a comp inventory."  And then I proceeded to tell them that we have to build each other up instead of tearing each other down.  We have to help each other and ask for help.  Relationships take humility and patience.

Yep!  I was a marriage counselor!  It was great!

What We Musts Feel

Let's open the word of God to 1 Nephi 8:12

Lehi just partook of the fruit, and we read what he feels,

"And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit."

Lehi partook of the fruit, eternal life so to speak, the Atonement, being a member of this church...the only true church.  Then what did he do?  He was desirous that others should partake of the fruit.  Yes, his family, but I think this applies to others as well.  He called out to them, WANTED them to feel the same joy that he did.

Activity time.  Grab a paper and pencil, or pen, whatever.

Make a list of all the blessings you've received from being a member of this church.

An hour later. . . . 

Wouldn't it be selfish to not want to share this great joy with others?  Yeah, pretty much.  

Once we are truly converted we will go out and convert others.  It is my opinion that we are not converted unless we share.

There are countless ways to share.  Home and Visiting Teaching, visiting a less active, helping the missionaries, inviting someone to church (Wilson is truly converted!  Go Wilson!  You'll get some rejection, but the Lord sees and blesses you for your efforts), giving someone a Book of Mormon, bearing testimony, oh so many ways!  And then one day, they'll listen to the missionaries and receive a true testimony in Christ and His church.

Don't let people around you fall into that filthy river of water, or wander off into strange paths because of the mists of darkness, or worse, be so consumed with the pride of this world.  Save them.  There is only one way to be saved and that is through Christ's name, which we take upon ourselves at baptism. 

Love, Sister Ostler

5 More Planners

Thanks for the emails!  NO, I didn't get transferred.  We're still in Dekalb for another 6 weeks.  But funny about your letter.  Did you know that you sent me the letter you wrote on August 13th?  You must have hit a few wrong buttons on the computer or something.  So I read the talks instead.  Wow!  Powerful talks!  Thanks so much for sending those!  And also if you ever feel the need to do a mommy rehab thingy and send me a box, I'm getting sick of the same music ALL THE TIME.  Hilary Weeks has a Collection CD out.  It's super good.  It has Prove Me and Be Still on it, and a lot of other good songs too.  Just for your info.

Speaking of Prove Me.  That is one of my favorite songs.  "Till humility chases away the Pride" "The Love that Purifies me"  "Til my faith leads me to a grove of trees."  Wow!  Powerful songs!  It talks about turning our heart to the Lords, doing His will instead of stubbornly insisting on doing ours.  Something I"m working so hard, and failing every day to do.  But the thing is is that I keep on trying right?

I just read the letter from the boys (and dad [why does his letters always come with the kids letters?  I think it's hilarious!]) about Wilnewt smearing berries all over himself.  Did you get a picture?  Can I have it?  That kid is something else.

What's the combined activity BOM thingy Jefferson?  I'm clueless. And thank you Dad for your words of comfort and advice.

Sister Howell and I were true sisters!  And guess what?  She's getting transferred to Beloit!  That's in the Rockford Zone!  My zone!  Different district, but I'll get to see her more often!  I'm so stinking excited!

She's my best friend out here.  During comp study we just talked about what we could do for the ward, or how we needed to stop working at 9:30 cuz we would usually stop working at 10, then get up 8 hrs later and start again.  It was exhausting, but we just had so much fun!  We worked hard, and our work paid off!  I love that girl!

Last night we were at C's.  For some reason he really didn't want to listen to me and he made that clear after I explained the 3 kingdoms.  He just went, "uhhu, so Sister Wallace what do you say about these three rewards?"  And he said it in a way that sounded as if he really didn't believe me, or I was just making stuff up.  Well I got the hint that he thought I was teaching too much.  But this time.  Well she took over the lesson.  She and our member, I hardly said another word.  She taught the WOW and committed him.  She taught powerfully, simply but powerfully.  Clearly too.  It was the first time I had seen her teach like that.  I"m definitely going to trust her more.  She's going to be leading most lessons, and then committing them and inviting them to pray.  I just need to learn to take the back seat.  She'll never get better if she doesn't do right?

And Jackson's experience with the Texans.  Yep!  Say hello to America!  We got out of the car yesterday and saw an older man sitting on a bench.  He looked kinda homeless.  Sister Wallace introduced herself and he said, 'Oh no, please leave!"  He looked oh so down and out!  So I asked if there was anything we could do for him.  I really wanted to help him in whatever way I could.  "Yes, you can leave.  I'm trying to be nice, just leave."  It was so heartbreaking.  We know we have such a great gift, or we want to help someone so bad, but they can't humble themselves to accept it.  Then we met two people our age.  After the girl said, "Oh no, are you guys still baptizing dead people?  And wear magical underwear?"  I knew it was a lost cause.  Bore testimony and left.  Americans!

This weekend was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hard!  Lessons falling through, and NO ONE wanted to listen.  Tracted all day.  It felt like the beginning of my mission.  Then I think it was Friday or Saturday night when I got a letter from Kendra.  She told me that Brother Outzen had passed away.  I cried and cried.  I wished I could be in Rensselaer with them.  I have no idea what happened.  I felt what most people feel when a loved one dies and they don't have the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, they don't understand it fully.  I asked why it had to happen to him.  He was so great!  Such a great missionary, such a wonderful father.  His little girl, Seria was only 1 and half years old.  And Sister Baumgaurt had just passed away in July.  Why Brother Outzen?  Why would God take him?  I didn't understand it.

But understanding came.  Not completely.  But because he was righteous it was his time to go.  He is needed on the other side for some reason.  I knew that he would be able to hold his little girl again.  They would be reunited.  But that still didn't stop me from bawling.  I am ever so thankful for the Plan of Salvation and the complete knowledge that we have.  I just hope and pray that the Outzens and the branch members are doing okay.  I want to give Sister Outzen a big hug!  That night I wanted to go home.  Not Tri-cities or Rexburg, but to Rensselaer.  I missed it so much.  I missed the love.  I missed being me there.

Rensselaer it was different.  They loved YOU.  Any missionary who goes there and doesn't feel that love is messed up.   And it's not that I don't love Dekalb, I do.  I just love Rensselaer more...and I miss it.  Well enough of that.

Yesterday when we found out Sister Leahman was going to be training and whitewashing an area (Belvedear in Rockford Zone) I was thinking of how long she had left.  3 transfers!  Three!  That meant I had 4!  I did the math, well Sister Wallace did...24 weeks!  What the heck!  Only that long!  That's it?  Sister Wallace said that was a long time.  And it is when you're only 2 months into the mission.  But when you're over a year that’s just a blink.  I didn't want to think about it.  So instead I put another number to it 5.  5 planners!  I get to use 5 more planners, then I get on that plane.  I know that when that time comes I’ll be excited and sad.  But we're not thinking about that now.  We're just working our little rear off 'til the last day.

Next week Elder Ellis? comes to tour the mission.  I think he's from the 70s.  We have a mass zone conference in Naperville.  5 zones!  Crazy!  I'm excited though.  So many missionaries!  Sadly I won't see Sister Mondelli unless she's transferred out of the city, or Elder Dearinger.  I'm really hoping to stay in Dekalb for the rest of my mission...unless I get moved back to the Celestial Kingdom.

Super cool about the lesson though at the house.  Say hi to Elder Larkin for me!   Small world that we knew each other in the MTC.

What I’ve started to do in lessons now is to read from the BOM if they don't read.  Like with D.  It was our 4th lesson with her and she still hadn't read.  So we cracked it open and read from 3 Nephi 11.  She was reading ahead and asking questions, and I could tell that just by giving her a taste of what was in there she wanted to read more.  We're hoping she does.

I have to have faith that I’m planting seeds that will be harvested someday somewhere.  I have harvested seeds planted by other missionaries years and years ago.  C's first contact with missionaries was in 2003.  Now he's set for date.

Well I’m gonna let you go and email some pics to you of last pday and this week.

Love you all!  And thank you so much for your prayers and support!  I couldn't do it without you! 

You are the greatest family in the world!

Love, Sister Ostler

General Conference Edition

Dear Family:

OH!  Super sad about Buddy!  He was such a good dog!  Where was his shock collar?  And what a good sister Saydi is for helping out Wilson.  Yep, you'll see Buddy again!  All animals have spirits.  Except flies and fruit flies.  They don't.  But dogs do.

Thanks Dad for your words.  Yeah, it's been hard...the rejection.  And I know that they're not rejecting me.  But it's just hard to bear your testimony and have a door slammed on your face, or they say, "That's nice, but you're crazy."  Well they don't say that, but they think it.  Even Sister Doll thought mormons were crazy until she received her answer.

Mom, here's the deal.  I don't need anymore clothes, I promise!  Sister Bingham patched them up for me.  So we're going to play a game.  When you're at the store and you see something cute, look how much it is, write it down, then "save" that money til I get back and you can use that money on me to go buy clothes so I can try them on and stuff.

So exchanges was good.  We switched plans in the middle of the day, so that was fun.  We did a lot of tracting which was good for her.  She's pushing herself in talking with people.  I just mostly tried to lead by example like Sister Ika did.  I'll send a pic next week.  I only have 10 more minutes left.  I had to write Saydi too.

But conference was absolutely amazing!

That temple in Provo!  So cool!  And Pairs is where Sister Wallace's dad served in the 60s!  He's a little younger than grandpa.  Crazy huh?

Yeah, a ton of talks on the Book of Mormon!  Elder Calliisters was the best!  So plain!  The Book of Mormon is from God or the Devil, there is no middle ground.  And Elder Richardson's about teaching by the spirit!  I’ve been trying to figure out what that means, forever and I think he nailed it on the head.  I need to go back and study that talk.  I can't wait til you send the conference Ensign!

And Elder Packer's talk.  Oh man.  That talk could have been written to anyone.  But he specifically gave it to the youth.  Powerful words indeed.  I second President Uchtdorf's comment, "The youth would do well to follow Elder Packer."   I loved how Elder Bednar took something that the youth are doing (video games and computers) and then sayd, "Use that talent for something good."  So amazing!

Elder Arden's talk on time was so simply amazing!  As well as Elder Cook's talk on Better to look up.  I needed that.  I guess Sister Wallace did to.  She doesn't think she's a good missionary.   I think I’m being too hard on her.  She is improving, which is good.  Maybe I'm not letting her teach as much.  Maybe I'm putting too much pressure on her.  I have no idea.  Man, I don't think I’m ever going to have kids.  It's so, so hard!  I never know if I'm doing the right thing, teaching the right thing in the right way.  Maybe I'll just be a hermit and never get married!  That's an idea!

Elder Christofferson’s talk on repentance was so simple and comforting too.  So maybe I should repent of that last comment.  Sorry Heavenly Father, I will have kids, if you want me to.  But you gotta help me raise them!

Elder Perry!  Yes go missionary work!  Use Mormon. org peoples!  I’ll teach you how to use it when I get home.  Amazing website!  Share it with your friends!  Everyone you meet!  Go to it, explore it!

Elder Hales was amazing too!  So so good!  And Elder Oaks!  Oh my gosh!  I want to hand that talk out to everyone I see!  So good!  Christ is real, and thanks to the restoration we know more perfectly who He is and what He excepts of us.

Did you not see a theme throughout conference that God's standards and the worlds standards are not the same?  I did.  It's hard to be LDS, but in the end it's the only path back to true happiness.  Stick with it kids and adults and all will be well!  That's what I got from President Monson's talk.  He's just awesome!

Elder Cornish's talk on prayer!  Wow!  So good!  Do the Lord's will!  And Elder Yamushita!  haha!  What an awesome and uplifting talk.  All missionaries and rms need to reread that talk to give them encouragement and uplifting thoughts.

Okay, time is up!  Love you all and thanks for all you do.

Love, Sister Ostler

A Powerful Promise

Dear people,

So for me this past General Conference, they talked a lot about the Book of Mormon.  They testified of it, told stories of how it had helped them in their lives, the power it had, the purpose of the book, etc.  I was studying a talk by Ezra Taft Benson yesterday, and in it he said about the Book of Mormon:

"There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the MOMENT you begin a SERIOUS STUDY of the book."

A serious study, the moment.  Wow!  A Powerful Promise!  He also promised this,

I know that our family is a living witness that this promise is true.  We used to pray that the spirit of contention would leave our home.  It really only did when we began to study and read the Book of Mormon together as a family.  Didn't Saydi and Jackson used to fight ALL THE TIME?  When did that stop?  About the time that we read the Book of Mormon.  Mowing lawns did help a lot, but I believe that when we picked that book up together as a family and started reading it the spirit in our house changed.  I know that I saw it.  I use that testimony every week when I am testifying of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  It is true because it brought our family closer together.  I have seen a DRAMATIC change in our whole family life because of that Book.

So thank you mom and dad for making that a family goal to read from it's pages every day.  I know that that's what I want to do in my own family.

Love

Sister Ostler

It's More Than A Treat

Go to the temple often too.  I wish I could go.  It's been about 7 months since I've gone and I miss it so much.  J and T dropped us.  And yes, J was baptized!  The pics kinda show it. It was awesome, the ward is so supportive!  We had a super good turn out.

President Evans, the Stake President, even came.  Well he's from Sycamore Ward, but being the stake president he's got a lot to do.  The whole baptism was awesome, and then she was confirmed, and she said she felt different!!!  So exciting!

And then to make matters better Don is on fire.  He's already given us two referrals, and he's baptizing his grandson, Ethen, on the 27th of October!  Sister Howell and I had the opportunity to teach his grandson a few months back when he came for Don's baptism.  He had already been thumbing through the Book of Mormon, and he had noticed a difference in his life when he started to understand the simple truths about prayer.  The Spirit guided that lesson we had with him and we then sent his information to Oklahoma where the elders started teaching him.  Now our recent convert is baptizing him!  Sister Clark told me there is hardly any greater joy on your mission than seeing your recent convert baptize someone.

Yes, I got the package.  I think it got delivered to our mail box, but I can't remember.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure it did cuz I've been getting a lot of mail and I have had no time.  And when I say no time, I mean no time.  I went to bed one night without brushing my teeth.  I was that done in.  I just have way too much to do and I don't want to over burden Sister Wallace with stuff cuz I'm pushing her in lessons.  Like last night I was gonna say something, then just turned to her.  The look that passed over her face briefly told me she was expecting me to talk.  Nope honey, you talk.  I teach too much.

And to tell you the truth she's doing fine.  Every night the area book has to be updated, and she helps me with that.  So that's good.  Last night she said that we should go see a potential.  I wanted to go to Cortland to see D who we haven't seen or heard from in several weeks.  But I followed her.  We went there and O so needs this!  A single mother, kinda lost, want's to get back on track, knows what she has to do, and we're there to encourage her.  It was a really cool experience and miracle!   We are finding quite a few new investigators through our area book.  Former investigators and potentials that others have found.  We just go do the following up.  Beats tracting.

We get fed a lot.  I'm starting to gain weight again...I think.  Well I feel it.  Running 2 miles everyday you'd think I’d lose some weight.  Nope, not gonna happen.  So I'm just trying to be happy now and hope my clothes will fit.

Although by the end of the mission I won't have any left!  They're ripping or just worn out.  NO MOM!!!  DO NOT SEND ME MORE CLOTHES!  I'm just going to fix the ones I have now.  Plus Sister Bingham is a good seamstress.  I'm giving her two of my summer skirts.  Although one is ripped pretty bad.  I have no idea how it happened either.  Oh well!

Thanks for the Mosiah 4 Dad.  We actually left that with O because she wants to know how to raise her kids in the gospel, and I just felt impressed to leave that with her.  I hope it helps.  She wants to come to GC too.  So does J W.  She's awesome!  Hopefully getting baptized on the 3rd of December.

I find that the closer I get to the end, the faster it goes.  I’m not sure I like that.  I’ll be sad to leave, but I might be a little like Jeff, happy to be home and crash.

There really are days that I don't feel like I can go another step, like yesterday morning I just wanted to cry.  I had so much to do and it was -3 minutes 'til comp study and I still didn't know what we were studying.  I didn't prepare anything cuz I had no time.  I didn't know what we would do with 2 hours.  So I prayed so hard that the Lord would help me.  And oh He did.  We had an awesome comp study.  Although the rest of the day was rejection after rejection, except O.

In bball mom, who were you playing?

I'm going on exchanges next week with Sister Jackson.  She is the first missionary out in her family.  Tell her mom that Sister Leahman is an awesome missionary!  Really one of the best.  Sister Ika's daughter.  Sister Leahman works hard, hard, hard!  She's so dedicated, she's such an awesome missionary!

Oh, and I don't know what the doctor gave me.  Some pill.  Don't ask.  So are the boys still practicing piano as well as taking guitar and ukelele lessons?

We're teaching a guy in Shabona right now.  He's got potential.  He accidentally slipped into the regular Sunday school class on Sunday instead of coming to our class.  We had no idea where he went.  We knew he didn't leave cuz Brother Stewart brought him.  By that time I just kinda gave up.  But we found him, and he actually liked the class.  They talked about the holy ghost, which was good for him.  We're going to teach him tomorrow.

Also mom, if I only get one more thing on the mission I would like the RS broadcast on cd.  I’ll get the print edition with the ensign.  And they don't put the broadcast on the conference cds.  Just download them off lds.org.... they should be there (oh that'll be nice too, the conference cds when they come out, and of course my own ensign) see how much I love conference?  Yeah, that broadcast was sooooo amazing!  Remind me to tell you about President Evans talk next week, but I gotta go!

Love you all! 

Love, Sister Ostler

It's More Than A Treat

Guess what's this weekend?  General Conference that's what!  I don't know about you, but I'm super excited.

How blessed we are to have a prophet on this earth today.  Let me illustrate just how blessed we really are.  I want each of you to take out your scriptures.  Got them out?  If you don't, don't read any further til you have them.  Now just take out your bible.  If you have a quad just hold up the bible part.  If there was no Joseph Smith, no Restoration, that is all the word we would have.  THAT'S IT!!!  Nothing else.  We wouldn't understand the proper way to pray, how we can really receive answers to prayers, what's in store for us in the future, how we can prepare.  There are so many people I meet every day who are so lost. The sad thing is, is that they don't realize how lost they really are.

We are so so blessed.  We have EVERYTHING we need to know how to get back to live with God again.  Because of the Restoration, we have the Book of Mormon, and the D&C, and on top of that, all the words the prophets have said.  Elder Holland said this about General Conference:

"I testify that the proceedings of the past two days are yet one more evidence that, as our hymn says, 'Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled'--and surely the dual meaning of the word standard is intentional.  It is not happenstance that one English publicaiton of our general conference messages is in a magazine simply titled the Ensign."

If you want to do something cool, look up the word 'standard' and 'Ensign' in the dictionary.

I hope that each of us will take time out of our busy schedule this week to watch ALL of General Conference.  We truly are blessed to be taught from these men who have knowledge from God and receive revelation for us from Him.  "When we listen to a Prohpets voice, we hear the Savior too."

Love Sister Ostler

What manner of men, or woman, will you become?

Dear family,

Well first of all I loved the story about Ben!  Oh man!  That's awesome!!!!  He's one heck of a guy! 

And I loved the picture of Wilson!  The only problem, there is no way to shrink the pic on this computer so it blows up super big and grainy, the smaller pic in the email is actually easier to see.

News from Illinois:

J is super excited for her baptism.  It was announced in church on Sunday multiple times, so we're hoping for a good turnout.  Sycamore ward is so supportive of it's new members, it makes our job and responsibilities a lot easier when they band together and help out.  We are encouraging Jane to continue to read from the Book of Mormon to help strengthen her and prepare her for baptism.  Her son continues to come to church and wants to be baptized.  We are just waiting for his fathers approval.

Stewart is really starting to progress.  We have been trying to get him to read the Book of Mormon from start to finish, but he never has.  He just flips open the book and hopes to gain some insight, which has only left him confused.  At our last appointment with him we brought a couple with us, and the brother bore testimony of how he came to know the Book of Mormon was true.  He talked about how he started with 3 Nephi 11 and continued on through the teachings of Christ to the Nephites.  He suggested that Stewart start from there and read through 3 Nephi.

What we saw in him at our last appointment was amazing!  He actually had questions about what he was reading.  There seemed to be an excitement in him that I had personally never seen before.  We are excited for him and hope to commit him to baptism within the next couple weeks.

Our recent convert, is doing awesome.  The DeKalb Relief Society is pulling together to help her in her last month of pregnancy.  We are continuing to meet with her as well and to reteach her some of the doctrine and principles of the gospel.

By the way dad, are you dead?  Haven't heard from you in awhile...just saying.  How’s everything at the office going?

Mom, thank you so much for your testimony.  I would love it if all of you guys sent me yours, how and why you know God exists.  How have you seen His loving hand in your own life?

Super cool experience about Ahmed reading the Book of Mormon!  It's true!  It really is!  You can have so much more meaning to your life by reading it!  You were sent into the Ostler home for a reason.

And yeah Mom, it's awesome to see that light bulb come on.  It's just hard when they choose to turn it off, or ignore it.   But it's hard to walk into a room with a light bulb on and deny that there is any light there.  You will be held accountable for that at the Last Day.  Just saying...well actually God said that, not me.

You know mom, maybe I should stop telling you when people bash us and are mean to us, cuz it makes you think violently.  And that's not good.  So I think I’ll stop ;)  and just tell you that we got let into every single door and have 10 people on date.  Wait, then I would be thrust down to Hell.  Well better me than you, right?

So the sinus infection.  Man I'm falling apart!  But I went to the doctors and you know what they gave me.  Yesterday Elder Vicars gave me a blessing that really helped me in more ways than one.  And I talked to Sister Leahman.  She was Sister Ika's daughter, we were both trained at the same time.  Well now we're both training!  She's serving in Boloit Wisconsin and loving it.

After zone conference our daughters were chatting (they were mtc comps) and we sat on the floor and talked about stuff for like 7ish minutes.  I asked her if she was exhausted all the time.  And she said that she had been since April or May.  That made me feel so much better knowing that I'm not the only one that is completely pooped and looks forward to pday so I can rest and don't have to worry about missionary work.  I know that sounds bad, but oh my gosh when you work, work, work, work all day long you do look forward to that time you can put on sweats, and just RELAX!!!!  Then the next day you get up and put on a smile and go out to work.  We can't run faster than we have strength.

So you know what Zone conference taught me?  This church is so true!  How in the world, please tell me how in the world could this work go forward with stinking 20 year old boys in leadership positions?  Please tell me, because I would like to know!  And no, it's not because thy’re smart or good-looking, or have a great personality, because some of them really don't have that.  Some of them are just...well all of them are just punks, uprooted from their home, sent into an old, dirty apartment, expected to go out there and bear their testimonies to those not wanting to hear it, and then on top of that encourage their zone or district members to be better missionaries, to lift them up, to LEAD THEM.

Where else in the world is that going on?  NO WHERE!  Only here.  Only here.  There is no way they could do this without the help of the Spirit.  Without God on their side.

"You sure?"  I said, cuz sometimes that kid can get down in the dumbs.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?  I have God on my side!" 

How awesome is that?  Super awesome!

I also got to see Hermana Reyes yesterday.  Oh how awesome is she!  Super awesome!  Amazing voice, sweet spirit.  Just wonderful!

The pics are of Elder Vicars last pday.  And Sisters Leahman and Jackson.  We had a Nerf gun fight in Rockford, and some of the elders decided to dress up for it.  Elder Vicars beat all.

Sister Wallace reminds me alot of me when I first came here.  Talking about when she goes home as if she can't wait, timid, shy, not sure how to teach, or what to teach.  But she's stretching herself in that area.  And I'm pushing her.  And I'm gonna keep pushing her! 

She'll get over missing home soon enough.

And thank you to the McCalisters for sending the box!  And letters!

Okay, I better get this sent!

I love you all, and thanks for all you do!  All your prayers and everything.

Sister Ostler

What manner of man, or woman, will you become?

What is the purpose of this life?  Easy, to prepare to meet God (Alma 34).  Now the big question.

HOW DO WE DO THAT?

By changing.  We are sent to this earth, and we all have faults, we are all imperfect.  Our goal is to become perfect.  We know that we have to work in order to become perfect.  When we do all we can Christ, through His grace, will do the rest.  To become like Him is our goal.  We might think, "Yeah right!  I can't!  I have too many imperfections.  I can never be humble, or patient, I hate Family History.  I can't love EVERYONE!  I have a temper, and no matter what I try I just can't change.  Consider the following from Lawrence E. Corbridge quoted from The Fourth Missionary:

"As you consider the question of what kind person you will become, you must understand the dynamic process of life.  You not only can change but you do change all of the time.  Sometimes people do not believe this.  They excuse their failures and weaknesses by saying; 'That's just the way I am.' 'I am just short-tempered, impatient person.' . . .  'That's my nature.' 'I’m just shy.  That's all.  That's just who I am.' ...

"To believe that weaknesses and deficiencies in your character are unchangeable is to reject the central truth of the plan of salvation.  You are not cast in stone.  You not only can change but you do change all of the time.  You are a dynamic, changing, evolving being.  You are always changing.   You never stay the same.  You cannot stand still. . . .

"You are responsible for who you are and you are responsible for who you will become. . .

"Think of this life as a path on which you never stand still.  As you move forward, you incorporate into your being the characteristics and qualities of God.  As you move backward you assimilate the qualities of Satan.

"Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation and every opposition happens for one purpose only:  to give you opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus.  As you do so you are changed to become like Him.”

(emphasis added)

sorry about the miss-spelled words...

Sister Ostler